SEN. LARCH: Before getting down to the business on hand, Colonel
Greaves, I would like to congratulate you on behalf of my colleagues
and myself on your participation in last week's successful orbital
flight of the _Camaraderie 17_. Yours and Commander Perkins'
achievement stands out as a glowing landmark on the perilous path which
this country is blazing into space. Also, I would like to point out
to you that the governing principle behind this committee since its
inception one year and three months ago has not been to bury astronauts
but to praise them, and that the present investigation is not intended
to cast umbrage upon your integrity but to clarify certain aspects
of your experience that both we and the public-at-large have found
confusing. Now, to proceed: You and Commander Perkins lifted out of New
Canaveral in the supercapsule _Camaraderie 17_ at 0659 hours on the
tenth of June, 1969, and began a three-orbit flight the apogee of which
was approximately 1,400 miles, the perigee of which was approximately
1,290 miles, and the purpose of which was to test your reactions to
deep space--that is, space beyond the perimeter of the orbital flights
thus far undertaken--preparatory to the launching of the first manned
moon-vehicle. Is that correct, Colonel Greaves?
LT. COL. GREAVES: That is correct.
SEN. LARCH: Exactly when and where during this three-orbit flight did
you and Commander Perkins first sight the ghost ship, colonel?
SEN. HEWLETT: May I interpose a word at this point, Senator Larch?
SEN. LARCH: Please do so, Senator Hewlett.
SEN. HEWLETT: Thank you. It is my opinion, senator, that in referring
to the ship boarded by Colonel Greaves as a 'ghost ship' we are lending
too large an ear to the somewhat sensational nomenclature with which
the press has discolored the incident, and are peradventure implying
official sanction to irresponsible reporting. Therefore, I recommend
that in the future, or until such time as evidence justifies a more
specific appellation, we allude to the object in question by the
designation first accorded it by the officials at New Canaveral:
'Spaceship X'.
SEN. LARCH: Very well, senator. I will repeat the question: Exactly
when and where during this three-orbit flight, Colonel Greaves, did you
and Commander Perkins first sight Spaceship X?
LT. COL. GREAVES: On the first pass, just after we reported in to
central control via the Australian relay station. In accordance with
instructions, Perk--Commander Perkins, that is--had taken the capsule
off automatic attitude control and begun an experimental series of
rolls, pitches, and yaws on manual control. We had no idea of the--of
Spaceship X's presence till it appeared suddenly upon the periscope
screen. Instantly Perk stabilized the capsule in its present attitude
and began making the minute attitudinal adjustments necessary to keep
the image on the screen.
SEN. LARCH: What was the position of the ship with relation to the
_Camaraderie 17_?
LT. COL. GREAVES: It was about half a mile 'above' and behind us, and
slightly to the north of our trajectory. We saw at once that it was
gradually overtaking us and that we were gradually rising to meet it.